Carter Guillaume and Ashton Jones, members of the Class of 2024 at Saint Xavier High School, are star athletes on the football team and demonstrate strong leadership on both sides of the ball. These two players announced their commitment to Southeast Missouri State University on July 24.

Southeast Missouri State University played in Division II until 1991 when it moved into Division I, joining a highly competitive division. Since joining Division I, SEMO has only had four winning seasons. The university competes in the Ohio Valley Conference and made history by reaching its division’s conference championship in the 2010 season.

In St. X’s second game of the season against Central High School, Jones had three solo tackles and eight total tackles. He caused significant pressure and made a substantial impact on the defensive side of the ball.

Carter Guillaume is ranked above the national average for linemen in terms of varsity games started. While Guillaume has been a three-year varsity starter in football, he is also a Kentucky state champion in wrestling.

“I committed to SEMO, then convinced Ashton to also commit so we could continue to play together,” Guillaume said.

Guillaume committed to SEMO before Ashton’s commitment. He looks forward to facing daily challenges, meeting his new teammates, and continuing to play with his current teammate.

“The coaching staff and the culture were big reasons I committed,” Guillaume added.

Guillaume had many other college football programs interested in him, such as Tiffin, Kentucky, Thomas More, and several others. He believed that SEMO had the best program for him and his future. He has set goals for his college career, aiming to become a four-year starter and an All-American while pushing the team to win championships.

The brotherhood at Saint Xavier is above all else, and Jones believes that this camaraderie continues through SEMO’s football program. He chose SEMO because of this brotherhood, feeling a strong bond and involvement during his visit.

After he took his official visit, he fell in love with the program, staff, and the facilities. He knew that the staff would support him and push him to become the man he needs to be to succeed.

“They really made it feel like home, and like I was truly welcomed there,” Jones said. “I met a few players and learned about the academics and the sport’s history. It just felt like a great fit.”

Southeast Missouri State University will have a talented duo of linemen — one on each side of the ball — from Saint Xavier High School. The football program has a bright future.

These two young men have been major contributors to the Tigers during their time on the team. The duo looks to lead the team to another state championship victory and close out their high school careers on a high note.